Der Spiegel’s English-language website features an article on the latest “taboo-breaking” book on the Third Reich to appear in Germany. The book in question, Heil Hitler, The Pig is Dead (apparently the punchline to a joke), deals with the incongruous subject of humour and joke-telling during Hitler’s regime. What is suggestive about the article is that it implies that it was only as the regime faced collapse was there a concerted effort to crack down on those who dared puncture the propaganda balloon:

But by the end of the war, a joke could get you killed. A Berlin munitions worker, identified only as Marianne Elise K., was convicted of undermining the war effort “through spiteful remarks” and executed in 1944 for telling this one:

Hitler and G�ring are standing on top of Berlin’s radio tower. Hitler says he wants to do something to cheer up the people of Berlin. “Why don’t you just jump?” suggests G�ring.

This late-stage crackdown contrasts with the Soviet Union, where, from the start, even the most innocuous comments could land you in the gulag. (One recalls the story of the old babushka, accused of being a Trotskyist, who thought her charge was of being a ‘Tractorist.'”)

What is also illuminating about the review is that the jokes indicate how early the nature of the Nazi dictatorship was perceived by the populace

This joke about Dachau concentration camp, opened in 1933, shows people knew early on they could be imprisoned on a whim for expressing an opinion:

Two men meet. “Nice to see you’re free again. How was the concentration camp?”

“Great! Breakfast in bed, a choice of coffee or chocolate, and for lunch we got soup, meat and dessert. And we played games in the afternoon before getting coffee and cakes. Then a little snooze and we watched movies after dinner.”
The man was astonished: “That’s great! I recently spoke to Meyer, who was also locked up there. He told me a different story.”
The other man nods gravely and says: “Yes, well that’s why they’ve picked him up again.”

Perhaps grimmest of all are the “jokes” told by Jews during the era:

“Two Jews are about to be shot. Suddenly the order comes to hang them instead. One says to the other “You see, they’re running out of bullets.”

Link to Der Spiegel article found on Arts & Letters Daily .